After Peter
by nycwc
Summary: year 16- part of the Burke Series. Peter is taken by a stalker -Can Neal find a way to get him back?   small re-write completed 7/9/12
1. chp 1

Year 16-Stalkers are fun

This is all for fun, I own nothing.

An old stalker long wished gone, but not forgotten shows back up after being locked up for the past 8 years. This is a post-ankle removal story. Part of the Starting Out/ Burke Series. 

()()()()()()

With all their ups and down, Neal and Peter survived their partnership in one piece. After at least 6 months of begging, and another 2 months of Elizabeth's help-Neal finally gains Peter's partnership in one more venture. A private security consultant firm. Peter still working full time for the FBI, and Neal only working part time as a paid FBI consultant- They still spend 90 % of their day arguing, which Neal finds the most entertaining part of his day-because he can still push Peter's buttons- but now he doesn't have to hear Peter's little mundane threats of jail.

Today is the twins 2nd birthday, so the entire team leaves work a little early to head out for one of the best planned birthday parties in the city.

()()()()()()

Since the twins were born, Peter found himself, leaning on his team more and more. Jones and Diana were stepping up, taking the lead and closing more and more cases without his help, which felt good, especially since his superiors had been pushing him to take Hughes's position once he retired. He hated the idea of being in the field less, but with Neal talking him in to starting a consultant firm, spending time with his family he hardly had any down time.

0o0o

Peter and Diana were just leaving the FBI complex, she was going to catch a ride with him to the twin's birthday party and so she could meet Christie there. On the way Peter had been giving instructions to stop and pick up the twins present that Elizabeth ordered weeks ago. As they were leaving the toy store Diana was laughing at how he had bought more than he was instructed to.

On their way back to the car, Peter was stopped by an old face he wished he could have forgotten.

"Hello Peter!"

Peter and Diana froze; they both shared a look of concern.

"I've missed you, how have you been." the women quickly remarked with a large smile

Still in shock, and knowing he needed to proceed as if he was walking on thin ice. "Fine, I'm fine."

"Well I see that Diana is still working with you... (Looking down at the bags in their hands), Peter it looks like you're off to a party...yes a kid's party... (Looking a little angry...) WHO'S party are you going to...)

Peter stammered a bit in his response.

"These...are….. for….Diana …She…..is going to today is their birthday party today, and she needed help with all the presents..."

Diana was trying to play alone- she knew what was at stake.

"Yes... As you can see, we have our hands full."

Looking them both up and down...she fixed her gaze down at Peter's hand.

"PETER! You're not with Elizabeth any more are you? …...YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD LEAVE HER!..."

Peter was trying to not let the fear he felt show when she mentioned his wife's name.

"No...No...we're not together...I left her...I promised you I would...I did..."

"But you're still wearing THAT ring."

Looking down at his hand, he quickly set down all the bags down that he was clenching so tightly.

"WELL...That's because I didn't want to date anyone else... so I just never took it off...Elizabeth sh...she has someone else staying with her...One of my old consultants (Looking over at Diana) Neal...he's staying with her now...Diana just didn't want me to be alone tonight...so...she thought it would be a good idea for me to join her and Christy for a party...so I'll see you later?"

"Now wait Peter, what kind of girlfriend would I be; if I let you go alone. (Diana and Peter both noticed that she was clearly clenching a gun in her pocket, thankfully so far the need to her to show it hasn't come up...) no no "I'll come with you, I would love to see you in action around kids...I've been dying to see what kind of father you'll be to our children"

"Y...ou know what, you just got here. Maybe you should get settled before you see everyone again..."

They quickly noticed the demanding tone in her voice. "NO PETER. I'm going with you or YOUR coming with me...we've already spent too much time apart." (Peter and Diana quickly noticed that she was pulling on the gun more and more)

Trying to calm her a bit "Ok...tell you what; let me get these in the car for Diana... she can head to the party; let everyone know what's going on... We wouldn't want people to start worrying, and you and I could...maybe go across the street for a drink... (Peter looked over at Diana; she was trying to shake her head "no" at him)"

"Yes Peter, that's a wonderful idea. Let's let Diana go...here... (Trying to offer him a bottle of water) carrying those bags must have made you thirsty... " Peter takes a couple of steps towards the car, he and Diana were looking at each other, still trying to keep Lavina calm he finally took the bottle of water she offered, noticing that she had already broken the seal, he knew he shouldn't drink it.

"No thanks, I'm not thirsty."

"PETER TAKE THE WATER... I GOT IT ESPECIALLY FOR YOU."

Diana tried to run interference when they both noticed she now had the gun out of her pocket tapping it on her leg...

"No Diana" (raising his voice a little at her) "You go, I know you have a lot of things to take care of, besides you don't need me later for the protection detail…... I need you go… and DI….. on your open case, find out why your protection detail was never notified that your suspect was released."

As Peter took the last of Diana's bags and put them in the car, he quickly passed her his wedding ring while giving her a reassuring nod.

Diana took her time, only looking at Peter as she walked around to the driver side of the car, slowly getting in, not driving off; she pretended to be answering the phone as she began calling for back up. In her rear view mirror she watched closely at the interaction between Lavina and Peter. She could tell he was trying to keep things calm before they got deadly. She wasn't sure what happen- she saw Peter quickly step back. So Diana quickly jumped out of the car, holding her phone up – allowing the otherend to hear.

Holding the cell phone up.

"Peter! Hughes is on the phone, something came up, and he needs us back at the office."

Peter slowly turned his head towards Diana, she quickly noticed how lagged his response time was and how hazy his eyes were.

"OH good, I have wanted to talk to Hughes, (walking towards Diana dragging Peter by one hand)

Diana watched in horror as she noticed that Peter was only a ghost of his former self)

"Hughes, hello this is Lavina...NOW HUGHES, I wouldn't hurt Peter...but I am afraid he want be working for you anymore...he just want have time...and once we move in a few days...well Hughes, this is a dangerous city…...of course a woman needs a gun...now I can't tell you where we will be staying...no no...we need time alone, just the two of us...no we need this time to ourselves...NO HE'S MINE..." she threw Diana's cell phone into the street.

She was stepping backwards-pulling Peter, haling a cab, no one but Diana noticed how Lavina's knuckles were turning white as she gripped the pistol in her hand pointing it at her as she was pulling Peter into the cab. It wasn't long before Diana lost them in a sea of cabs on the busy New York streets.


	2. Chapter 2

Diana wanted to panic, she wanted to blame herself, but she knew better. Making her way back to the office she kept going over the entire event second guessing herself.

()()()

Later that evening back at the house, Neal was still at a lost, he had never heard of Lavina Barnett. Elizabeth was trying to hold herself together; she kept her self-busy. Upstairs with the twins, she found herself out numbered. They were always difficult when Peter wasn't home to help put them down, but tonight they seemed to be extremely difficult. She wasn't sure if they were picking up on emotions or if they were actually aware of the situation.

While she was upstairs, Neal stepped out to call for more back up. He sent Mozzie on recon, trying to dig up everything he could on Lavina Barnett, and where she could be hiding.

…

After speaking with Mozzie, Neal had no other choice but to corner Elizabeth because Jones, Diana or even Hughes wouldn't tell him exactly what was going on, they all simply told him to stay with Elizabeth and not leave her side.

Upstairs, Neal found Elizabeth trying to put the twins down. Emma was stilling fighting her, as Emory while lying there quietly.

"She's always difficult when Peter isn't here to put her down. (Smiling) she fights me every step of the way. But Peter can in come and she's down in minutes. …. Do you think they know what's going on?"

Standing in the door way…."She knows something is not right….. It's hard not to with everything that is going on…..she misses her daddy….that's all Elle."

"I know…so do I, Nothing is ever quite right when he's not here."

"Lavina Barnett, tell me about her."

"Years back when we first met, Peter had saved her life. Lavina's family, mainly her brother was part of a robbery, things got really messy, and Peter saved her life…she was already a very damaged and disturbed young lady, but after Peter saved her she quickly became fixed on him. He thought it was harmless at first, just a little school girl crush, but as time went on she became dangerous. She was finally locked up, when she killed one of Peter's partners, and while they were looking for her, she was actually watching us. Peter finally caught her one night when she came after me….. We've tried to forget her, but deep down, we've always feared she would come back."

"What do you think she wants?"

"Peter…that's it…she wants everyone else to just go away, she thinks that Peter will come around and leave everyone…. leave his life for her…that night she was ready to shoot me…..Peter was standing there begging her to just leave…..he was finally able to convince her to forget about me …..after he promised her he would leave me and run away with her…..and that's how it ended, soon as she put the gun down, Peter cuffed her….…..and we tried to go on with our lives.

"That's it?  
>"Yeah"<p>

"But Elizabeth this doesn't make since, Diana said that two guards and one orderly was killed while she escaped the hospital. I've seen her profile, she's not strong enough to do this on her own, her file said she's petite ….…I think there's more to this….this doesn't feel right, soon as another agent gets here, I'm going to go in and talk to Hughes, see where they are on this."

Standing there watching Elizabeth try and comfort her little one his phone rang.

Neal left Elizabeth there with the twins; she all but refused to leave their room. Mozzie was busy getting more information; He couldn't find much out about her past, most of her family is or had been in prison, it was like she was a ghost before she became obsessed with Peter. She was sentence to New York state hospital for killing a federal agent and trying to kill Elizabeth.

At the office, the team had no new information; they had no idea on where they should even start searching of Peter. Neal informed them what his street contacts were able to dig up.

"One of my contacts just called me, I don't think she's acting alone, I think she has help. Word is that her brother is back in town with a new crew and new name…..my man (you mean Mozzie- Hughes buds in)….Yes Mozzie said that his contact at the hospital said that a man who he knew as Barnett's brother came to see her last month, but when he signed as Chris Star…..I…..I've heard of Christopher Star…he's dangerous….9 years ago he killed 8 in a bank robbery in Germany…"

Hughes gives Neal a stern look "You work with him?"

"No…..he tried to recruit me, but I knew right off he would have no problem killing and I didn't want anything to do that….If this guy is involved, what do you think he wants with Peter…why use his sister?"

()()()()()()

Peter hardly remembered being in a cab, and he had no idea where he was now and how long he'd been there. Sun light was shining in his eyes as he laid there causing his already pounding head to hurt even more. By the time he was able to raise his hand to block the light, it dawned on him that it was now dark outside. He felt his mind working, but it took all he had to make his body work. He had no idea how long he had laid there when he finally heard someone come in the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it took so long, I did a small re-write, and I needed to make some minor adjustments before it was too late,

Chapter 3

Peter turned his head; he wasn't sure how long she had been setting there, filing her nails. She was rambling on, his head was so congested, and he couldn't make out anything she was rambling about.

After a while, he felt himself start to come around a little, his mind started to clear, and he was finally about to focus more and more.

Trying to remain quite, play possum as 4 men entered the room.

"Lavina! What the hell is this? ….. I told you I would get him when it was time…. What the hell have you done? We needed him when the time was right!"

"Well, there was no need in keeping him waiting…..he left her…..like he said he would…I couldn't wait to see him….."

Peter just laid there, things were quickly getting hostile, and he needed the men to think he was drugged and unaware of his surroundings. Starring up at the ceiling, he wasn't able to see their faces. He heard heavy foot steps toward him.

{Slap} one of the men had walked over and slapped Lavina,

"You stupid crazy bitch…he didn't leave anyone, he's married with two kids…..I told you I would handle this… WE NEED HIM…..you were just going to watch him before we killed him, no one was to know who had him…..we were going to use him…..so I could use his snitch…...DID ANYONE SEE YOU TAKE HIM?"

"What….he….he was with his partner…..they were going to a kid's birthday party…I ….I… HE TOLD ME HE LEFT HER!"

Lavina was now yelling, after everything that was being said, it was like she only heard he was married with children.

He tried to lie there, and act as he was unaware of what was going on. In the side of his vision he saw Lavina start to stand up, as she did, he saw her arm coming toward him as if she was going to hit him.

He wasn't sure what it was, but he felt a sharp burning pain in his chest. His body flinched, he lifted his head, and immediately pulled his hands up to his chest, all he could see was a pink handle. It took him a moment to decide that she had stabbed him with her finger nail file.

His chest was on fire, as he hands almost cradled the nail file, he wanted to pull it out, but he knew it could cause more damage if he did.

In the back ground he heard a group of laughter.

"What are we going to do now boss?"

"Fuck him… let's stick to the plan…..make the call…."

"Lavina? {laughing} guess they'll find two bodies instead of one…."

"Your own sister?

"Ah…. It's her own fault…..they saw her….no one can know we are involved."

Peter was trying to focus, as one of the men came over, laughing and talking about killing him like he was nothing.

Wheezing, barely able to talk. "Don't do this…..you haven't done anything wrong…help me…..you do this and you'll have the whole bureau come down on you…"

Now standing almost on top of him, looking down at…

"Years back…..when you arrested me agent Burke {Peter looked up at the man, trying to remember the face, but the pain was making his mind go fuzzy}you took everything from me….I just wanted to you know I never forgot you."

Still wheezing "No…..n…o…N….Neal…. ….leave….. him out of it."

The man reached down, pulled out the finger nail file, causing Peter to flinch almost coming off the bed...

"Well I'm sure he can find a way to get what I want…..{turning as if he was going to walk off, he turned back to Peter}…... You know Agent Burke….. I could have taken your wife, or those kids of yours, made you Steal 500 million in bonds…..guess you're lucky I dislike Caffrey as much as you…"

With mention of his family, Peter tried to come up off the bed towards the man. He didn't see that the man must have been cradling a pistol in his hand until he felt in connect hard with the side of his head.

Then nothing. He was out.

0o0o0o0o

As Neal was making his way to the FBI for an update, he took the opportunity to stop by Junes, and check in on Mozzie.

"Oh, I'm glade you're here. Word is the "Chris Star" is going after the DeQue Bonds, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, there impossible to get"

"Yeah I know, what do you think they want with the su…"

Before Mozzie could finish his sentence, Neal's phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Neal Caffery, Listen carefully… {with those words, Neal quickly put his phone on speaker} We have your friend, you have 3 days to bring us the DeQue Bonds, or his pretty little wife will never know what happened to him."

"I need to know if Peter is ok…hello?...hello?"

"Well I guess that's one way to get them."

Neal frowned at Mozzie…..and headed for the door..

"You need to come up with a plan…. I need to go and let Hughes know what is going on."

0o0o0o0o0o

After updating Hughes, Neal was forced to head back and stay with Elizabeth.

0o0oo0

Back at the Burke residence, Neal and Elizabeth were setting on the patio.

"What are these DeQue bonds?"

"During Revaluation war, Francis DeQue, was commission to print 1000 government bonds but only 500 ever sold, Deque was ordered to destroy the rest, but he never did. In 1805 Deque went broke, the government came in a seized everything, and they found the other 500 bonds. {Elizabeth easily noticed Neal's excitement grew while telling the story} DeQue thought they were worthless, but because they were the same as the bonds the government issued, anyone could cash Deque's bonds in as if they were the originals."

"Wow"

"No it gets better; the original records that were kept on the bonds were lost in a fire. It's rumored that almost each bond had a different face value, some were rumored to be left blank, only to be filled in at the time of the purchase. So there's no real way of saying what todays value would be. Black market estimates are around 500 million, but could be worth twice that. The Deque's bonds are impossible to get and impossible to forge"

"So why are they impossible to get?"

"Well again, it's rumored that these bonds are 5 stories below New York's FBI headquarters..."

Realization quickly hit Elizabeth.

"They want Peter to steal these bonds?

"No…"

"You?"

"Yes….. Elizabeth If I could steal them I would…..only the FBI direction and a few hot heads in Washington know exactly where these bonds are; only a few people have ever actually seen them. There a story, a…..an old wives tale that theavies daydream about."

Elizabeth reached across for Neal's hand.

"I know you would do whatever it took to get him back…"

Without warning Mozzie came barging through Elizabeth's back door.

"Mozzie?"

Mozzie was quickly pacing back and forth

"Neal, a word?"

"It's alright Mozzie, I just told Elle about the bonds"

"N…o…..I don't think it is….. I know what Star….Barnett has planned."

"Mozzie calm down, what is going on?"

"After you left, there was a lot of chatter about the bonds…..Barnett has come up with ultimate cuter graw, he's figured out a way to grid of the fed that put him jail, the con he hates and get rich in the process."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you see, he's spooked the Feds into thinking someone is going to steal the bonds, so therefor they move the bonds to a more secure location… and he steals them ….."

"During the move… I got it Mozz."

"I don't understand….so why did Lavina go after Peter" Elizabeth cared nothing about the so called bonds.

"She is just another pawn."

"Mozzie concentrate, we have to let Hughes know"

"Oh I already called Jr. Suit, he and lady Suit…their trying to stop the move."

"So what about Peter?" Elizabeth's voice was starting to get firm, was she going to have to drag it out of Mozzie

"That's the problem, if they pull this off we'll never know what happened to Peter, did they let this Lavina have, did they kill him, is he already dead….is…" 

"Mossie…." Neal was giving him a look that clearly told him to stop talking.

"Oh, Sorry….. But if we have any chance in finding Peter…. We have to go now Neal"


	4. Chapter 4

Chap 4, sorry for the short chap, had to get you something...please note I did a small re-write on chap 1-3, sorry this chap is so short and that it took so long for me to get back with you. Thanks for following.

I need a beta….just FYI….hint hint.

He woke up choking, barely able to breath; he wasn't sure how long he had been out. His chest hurt, he felt like he had just had the wind knocked out of him, breathing was hard, it hurt with each attempt. He was suddenly hit with a coughing fit, pulling his hand over his mouth, trying to conceal the fact that he was awake. It took all of his strength to get it under control, he felt like he was about to pass out again. As his vision was fading, he noticed that his hand was covered in blood. And he knew that coughing up blood wasn't a good sign, he had to get up, and try to escape, but as soon as he stood up, he felt the darkness pull him back under.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Back at the house, Neal and Mozzie quickly left; and she hoped for the best. Elizabeth knew that on this, she could trust them to do all they could to bring her husband back to her.

0o0o0o0o

An afternoon of planning quickly turned in to a full day, then two. Elizabeth was going stir crazy. The waiting and not knowing was the worse. Since Neal and Mozzie left her back patio, she hadn't seen them at all. She was on the verge of completely breaking down when Neal and Mozzie suddenly showed up supporting a look of victory.

"It took some convincing, but the FBI set up a fake exchange on the bonds. Mozzie and I were able to recreate a few of the bonds."

"Wait, I thought you said they couldn't be forged?"

"They can't, but if you're in the rush of a heist, who can tell, they'll have to sit down with an expert to know that the bonds are forged."

"So what, you let them take the bonds, in hopes that they lead you back to Peter."

"That's the plan."

0o0o0o

When he woke, for brief moment he felt at ease thinking he was still in bed with Elizabeth, as she was softly running her fingers through his hair humming softly to him while he woke up from a bad nightmare. Then suddenly the pain, the agony of trying to catch his breath brought him back to reality.

"Well good morning my love…. I was beginning to think you were just going to sleep your life away."

Trying to talk, you could hear a bad wheezing, as he fought for air... "Ple…ase…I…..nee…d…r…"

"Now Shhh…you'll be ok, my brother said so, he said he was going to take care of you. Of us…. later today when he gets back from killing your friend."

"nn…oooo, ha..vvvve to leave no…w"

"What a wonderful Idea, we'll leave immediately! " He tried to hold on longer, protest as she was telling him. "First we have to stop by your old house, get your pass port, and then you can finally tell Elizabeth you're leaving her for good."

"No…..n…ot El..iza….beth." is all he could say before he passed out.

He felt his self being dragged and pushed around, with each movement he was getting less and less air. Breathing became harder by the minute. When woke up the second time his face was planted up against a car window, opening his eyes, he tried to jolt himself wake when he saw where he was, when saw that he was just feet from his front with Lavina nowhere in sight.


End file.
